While the Federal Government’s 2017 “Closing The Gap Report”, released this week in Canberra, contained little good news for Indigenous people nationwide, the State Government is claiming some improvements in Queensland.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Mark Furner said the report highlighted areas of success and improvement.
“We’re seeing positive signs in early education,” Mr Furner said.
“Enrolments in pre-school programs among Indigenous Queenslanders have increased to 85 per cent, up from 63 per cent in 2014.
“Queensland has shown the largest improvements overall in reading, writing and numeracy achievements with significant gains for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in six of the eight measures from 2008 to 2016.
“We’re also making progress in high school education with almost 95 per cent of Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students making the grade to attain the Queensland Certificate of Education.
“In 2014 it was 86.5 per cent.
“Queensland is building on the foundations of generational change in Indigenous education with more young people starting and completing their education than ever before.”
